The most popular dog breeds of 2018

Rottweiler

2018  rank – No. 8

2017 rank – No. 8

Rottweilers get a bad reputation as mean and snarly at best, outright vicious at worst. Like Dobermans, they can be excellent pets, and are extremely loyal watchdogs. They were originally bred to haul (and guard) butcher’s wagons in Germany during the middle ages.

They do need to be thoroughly well trained during puppyhood, however, lest they become accidental terrors due to their strength and large-ish size.

A misunderstood Rottweiler is one of the main characters in Bill Wallace’s Upchuck and the Rotten Willy.

Poodle

2018 rank – No. 7

2017 rank – No. 7

Poodles, especially when they’re wearing show cuts, look ludicrous, and that’s not even counting the weird world of competitive dog grooming. They come in two sizes, standard (very tall) and miniature (what’s typically thought of as normal size).

But they’re also one of the most intelligent breeds out there, according to Stanley Coren’s book The Intelligence of Dogs, and often compete – and do well in – agility competitions across the country.

Incidentally, a pair of Poodles are antagonists in Upchuck and the Rotten Willy.